engleski

Substrate type influences freezing tolerance of olive leaves

Olive (Olea europea L.) is an evergreen, Mediterranean plant highly valued for its nutritional properties which has positive impact on human’s health. Due to the higher olive production demands, breeding areas are expanded to alleviate altitudes with specific climate characteristics: low temperatures and frost in winter and early spring. In the present investigation, we studied the frost tolerance of two olive cultivars (Olea europea cv. Leccino and cv. Oblica) growing on different substrate types - soil and coconut fibres. Two-year old olive plants were exposed to -5 °C in the dark for different time periods. The parameters of oxidative stress (concentration of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation) as well as the activities of some antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activity) in olive leaves were measured spectrophotometrically. Leaves of both cultivars growing on coconut fibres showed a better antioxidative response to freezing temperature probably due to the higher nitrogen and phosphorus concentration established in this type of substrate. In addition, the leaves of cv. Leccino showed more pronounced antioxidative response, indicating that the genotype has important role in freezing tolerance.

olive ; leaf ; frost tolerance ; antioxidative response

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